Friendship to the Test
by Ravief
Summary: Just before the Fellowship departures, Aragorn finds out that Arwen is promised to Legolas. Both men know that the Elfen lady is in love with Aragorn, which causes their friendship to grow uncomfortable.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: No idea where this is heading, ideas are welcome! (so are reviews)**  
 **Warnings:**

 **-This is a story about friendship, so Aragorn and Legolas will not fall in love with each other.**  
 **-This story will mostly follow the movies, but takes place on the days that aren't on screen.**  
 **-Also, in next chapters there might be some brutal fighting, but I'm not sure yet. I will give you guys a head's up.**

 **Summary: Arwen is promised to Legolas but is in love with Aragorn, causing the friendship between the last two to grow awkward and uncomfortable.**

* * *

Chapter one: Silent nights and deep thoughts

His gaze darted from left to right, and from there slowly back to the left again without moving much of his body. Grey eyes were watching the surroundings in a way that any sign of danger would not escape him. Although there was still enough daylight left to travel for at least half an hour further, Aragorn had decided to stop early. There was no way of knowing whether they would find a better shelter than this on the road ahead, and he knew that Orcs were onto their trail. Besides that, the Hobbits could use a good night's sleep.  
In his mind, the Ranger had quite a few excuses ready to explain himself, but the truth was that no one questioned his decisions after all these days of travelling. The rest had simply accepted that the man knew what he was doing, and had faith in that. Aragorn frowned at that thought and had to take back his words; surely the wizard and Legolas knew something was going on, instead of 'this is a good place to sleep'.

He lit his pipe and took some distance from the group, as a sign that he would take first watch. Taking slow bites out of some dry bread, he wondered whether he had made the right choice. His past - or more, what his forefathers had done - haunted him in every corner of his life. Sooner or later Sauron would find out his true identity, but that wasn't why he was doubting. This quest - protecting Frodo for as long as they could - was the right path for him, but it required trust in one another. And while he had thought to be among friends, only recently he had discovered something which made him no longer sure of things that had always been normal to him.

After heaving sigh, Aragorn took a draw from his pipe and blew out the smoke in a perfect circle, only to watch it dissolve. His other hand went up and touched the beautiful pendant he was wearing on a silver necklace; -the Evenstar that Lady Arwen had given him. He was certain of her love, just as he was sure that he was not in love enough to make any promises or to commit himself. He had thought that that would grow with time, like a natural thing, since they were very close. It had been only a couple of hours before the Fellowship took off, that he had learned why his foster father was against his daughters love for him. Another sigh came when his memories decided to replay this scene vividly.

 _~He came to say a private goodbye, since he owed the man a lot, although he stopped mid-movement when he met angry, dark eyes.  
_ " _Estel, how many times have I told you to stay away from her?!"  
_ _Aragorn was taken aback but then realised that Elrond had seen the gift Arwen had given him, only moments ago._ " _It's just a goodbye present," he said quietly, trying to soothe the elderly Elf.  
_ " _Not for her, it isn't!" Elrond spat. Then, a sigh. "I guess I should have told you this earlier. I didn't think it would go this far..." The Elf looked up, seeing the future king completely confused by his words. "Aragorn," he began.  
_ _Aragorn stiffened. The use of his real name meant something serious would follow and he was unsure if he wanted to hear it.  
_ " _She is promised to your friend Legolas; Prince of Greenwood."  
_ _The Man could only stare at him in disbelieve, and had to take his time to straighten his back and gather himself. "I see," he stated. "I'm off with the Fellowship. I only wanted to say goodbye and thank you for my years here, in Imladris." He swallowed and bowed lightly for the great Lord Elrond. And with that, he was gone, only to show up fully packed when the group was about to depart.~_

His hand slid down from the pendant again and he stood up to take a walk around the camp. It was quiet, nothing stirred, except for some bats and some small animals that were searching for shelter for the night. It was on quiet nights as this one that he missed talking to his friend. They had been through a lot together, and Aragorn had thought that their friendship was something precious, since the prince didn't let people come close easily. But when Legolas had seen the necklace, he had grown silent and angry. He had refused to speak to him and he had even made sure that they were never alone together.

Aragorn was quite certain that there was no love between Arwen and Legolas, for his friend would have spoken about it. Even though the Elf never talked about the future, or love for someone, or anything close to those matters, Aragorn still understood his anger. But what frustrated him most was that he hadn't got the chance to talk to him and explain himself. He sighed again, wearily this time, and wished ... –  
His head flung up when the familiar sound of an arrow reached his ears. The sound was instantly followed by the projectile -just an inch from his head- and a well known 'thump' of a falling body followed. The arrow had reached its target before any damage to the group could have been done. Bewildered, Aragorn turned to see Legolas ready with another arrow on his bow.

"You shouldn't be taking watch, if you can't stay awake," the high-born Elf said, quite unfriendly.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and fav-s and follow-s :) really means a lot!**  
 **Disclaimer: LotR is not mine**

 **Warning: ! There will be blood and fighting in this chapter !**

Replies to guests:  
Catherine10: Uhm.. I'm definitely shipping them, but if I'm going to answer your question it gives too much of the story away ;)Thank you for liking and reading it!  
Daryon: Thank you! Slaughter, hm? I'll see if I can give you some ;)

* * *

Chapter 2: A Midnight Surprise

He saw three things on the face of the Man. First, brief but nonetheless there, shame. Then anger, fierce and for a split-second Legolas thought they would be fighting soon. But then all of that disappeared, and there was only hurt left to see in those familiar grey eyes. _Why? Why hurt?_ While he thought that over, he carefully walked towards Boromir and poked him with his foot, so that he could take over Aragorn's watch.  
The Man from Gondor immediately opened his eyes and grasped his sword. Legolas gestured for him to be quiet and to his pleasure the warrior only nodded in response and stood up as silently as he could. The Elf flinched at every little sound, thinking that Boromir could use a lesson or two about the meaning of 'silent'. His eyes stayed fixed on Aragorn, though, and he hadn't loosened his grip on his bow either. The poorly clothed Man had turned his back on him and was walking towards the body. Unlike the other of his kin, Aragorn moved like he was partly Elf. Legolas decided to follow him, though he made sure to keep an eye on the premises.

"Orc scout," was Aragorn's opinion and he woke Gimli and the Wizard.  
"We don't know if we're under attack." The protest had left his mouth before he could stop it. He had meant it though: if it was only a scout, there was no need to wake the others; he could handle it.  
Tired eyes met his and Legolas fell silent. He felt a pang of guilt for his behaviour, although his facial expression remained stubborn.  
"One scout is often followed by another, or even a small group. This isn't the time to take chances." While he explained, Legolas could hear a trace of the accent in his words which Aragorn always had when he was tired, very serious or when he couldn't rein in his feelings. Other than that, he knew that it was a reference to their many adventures, and although he didn't like it, he knew the Man was right. This Quest was best kept secret and could not be handled as if they were on a midnight stroll. They needed to be careful and stay far away from trouble when they could. It was exactly why they had turned to face Caradhras, since Saruman's Crebain had stopped them.

He could sense that the others were eyeing them, all of them could feel something was up. Even Boromir –who had been quite rude to Aragorn when he had learnt of his bloodline– knew that this wasn't normal behaviour for both Man and Elf.  
"Just stay on guard!" Legolas snapped and after a last look, he turned to face any evil that might come to them. If he had had the time to let his thoughts wander, he would have scolded himself for his childlike reactions. He had to stay focused, however, and that was more than welcome since he didn't really know what it was he felt.

He was just about to say that it was false alarm, when his ears caught a sound that wasn't Hobbit-snoring. Frowning, he turned to his right, but the attack came from his left. Legolas had no idea how he hadn't noticed - Orcs usually didn't move that silently - but suddenly they came from every direction, closing them in. Soon enough they were too close for him to use his bow, so he drew his knives. A quick jab to the stomach while the other blade cut through skin like butter, meant one less enemy. He turned fast, which caused his hair to swoosh, and in one flowing motion he stabbed the next Orc in the shoulder. Their armour was weak there, but it also meant coming close, which wasn't exactly a position anyone would favour. Except for the Dwarf of course.

The next blow was to block his opponent's sword. Sword to knife, they growled at each other, until Legolas thrust the steel of the other dagger in Orc's side. He dragged it further, twisting it, making the Orc twitch. Another jab followed and he watched the servant of Sauron slump down, black blood dripping from his lips. One final push was needed to end his life.  
The Elf turned around, ready to help out the others, but only the Companions were standing, some bodies at their feet.

"Watch out!"

The warning from Aragorn gave him no time to react though. Luckily the Man had jumped mid-shout towards the last Orc. They both crashed to the ground, and while rolling further they punched each other where and when they could. In surprise he watched them roll, until he managed to get his feet working and ran to Aragorn's aid. After slaying the last Orc together, they both stayed on their knees, panting.

"You okay?"  
He simply nodded and didn't look up, a bit scared of what he might see on Aragorn's face. "Yes, I believe so." He didn't feel any pain, so that was a good sign, right? A brief pause followed and he half-heartedly decided to ask: "And you?" since Aragorn was Mortal and Legolas wasn't.  
"I'm alright." The Man got up, checking himself on wounds and after that Legolas could feel those grey eyes watching him.

He didn't quite understand why, but he had some trouble getting on his feet. "I'm fine," he said, before the other could speak. A snort as response reached his ears and Legolas jerked his head up. "I'm serious."  
"You're always saying that when you're anything but fine." Aragorn crouched next to him and soon after that Legolas felt searching fingers. His breathing hitched when those fingers found what they were searching for.  
"Gimli, some light, please," the Man ordered. The Dwarf did as told and it was only then that the Hobbits woke.

"What the hell happened?" Sam asked, bewildered.

"Looks like a bunch dead Orcs to me," Pippin said.

"Nope, just wasted minutes while I could be sleeping," objected Merry. "So shut up." He rolled to his other side and was snoring again in no-time.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you all so much for r &r's! It makes my day every single time! Thanks guys =)  
** **Sorry for the cliffie, but well, every story needs them?  
** **And a very special thank you for my amazing Beta's.**

Replies guests:  
-Catherine10: I'm not sure yet, but I'll go for the first option. To get back to your other question: this is about their friendship, but I'm following the films, so... is that a big enough hint? ;)  
-Daryon: I'm trying to keep up this weekly post.. If I manage to write ahead, I'll treat you guys with more chapters.

* * *

Chapter 3: Another roadblock

A soft laugh escaped from his lips. The Hobbits hadn't quite seen the danger yet, which was a good thing, he thought. Soon enough they would catch up on the cruelties of the world. He fell silent, though, when he felt the gash. With the light from the torch that Gimli held, he could see it was a small but deep cut, probably done by the last Orc which had caught them by surprise. Aragorn took the torch, put it in the ground and rested one of his hands on the shoulder of the Elf. "Stay down, I'll be right back."  
While he searched his backpack for bandages and herbs, the others moved the dead bodies, so the stench wouldn't bother them the rest of the night. When he got back, Legolas hadn't moved, which made him frown. Normally when the Elf said he was fine, he would do anything to avoid an examination.

Aragorn knelt down again and pulled Legolas's tunic up. With a cloth, he cleaned the gash, while chewing some herbs to put on the wound later. Legolas made a weak attempt to swat his arm away.  
"Leave me alone," he muttered.  
"Your stubbornness has not left you, I see." Aragorn kept his voice friendly, though he knew this was an exceptional chance to talk.  
"It's not that serious," he tried to convince him again, which, of course, didn't work. He had not counted the years they had been friends, but wounds and Legolas did not go well together, never had.  
He put the herbs on the wound and felt the other person flinch. After bandaging the Elf, he backed away and watched while Legolas staggered to his bedroll. Sighing, Aragorn packed his stuff. He really didn't know how he should start the conversation and by the looks of it, Legolas didn't want to talk.  
A glance at Boromir told him that he didn't need to worry about the watch. Sitting down, he came to his senses and finally relaxed. He expected he wouldn't sleep for several hours, so maybe this was a good time to come up with a plan. However, when lying down, Aragorn fell asleep at once..

* * *

He did not like the Misty Mountains, but going through the Redhorn Pass was something he would definitely have thought over twice. The road wasn't easy, especially with all the snow, and that was on a good day with the sun shining. Already the Hobbits and Gimli -all of them short legged- were having difficulties getting forward.  
While they struggled for every step, Legolas seemed to walk effortlessly on the snow. Seemed. Aragorn saw how carefully his tread was and twice the hand of the Elf slid towards his side, where the wound was. He made a mental note to check up on him in the evening. Right now, he needed his strength and attention for Sam and Frodo. With the snow reaching his upper legs, it was best to carry them, or they would completely disappear. It was a good thing that their weight was in balance with their height, even though they were grown men, otherwise it would have been an impossible task.

His fingers were stiff and red from the icy cold, almost as red as the cheeks of the two Halflings. None of them -except for Boromir, perhaps- were dressed for this kind of weather. At the beginning of the day it had been doable, but it had been snowing steadily for at least the past hour and the wind had severely increased.  
"There is a foul voice in the air," Legolas said, walking a bit ahead to check on the road. He had barely finished his sentence, or huge chunks of snow fell of the mountain.  
Aragorn pushed himself to the left, his back brushing hard against the cold stone wall.  
"It's Saruman," Gandalf explained.  
"Gandalf!" he had to yell to catch the Wizards attention through the stormy weather. "He's trying to bring down the mountain. Gandalf, we must go back!"  
His words were cast aside by a firm shake of the Wizard's head. Not for the first time, Aragorn wondered what was going on. How could he not see that this road would kill them all if they stayed much longer? Precious minutes were lost while Gandalf tried to battle the head of his Order. Again, a large quantity of snow fell down, this time covering them all.  
Gasping for air, Aragorn emerged, helping Frodo and Sam to surface as well. More general bickering followed, until, finally, it was settled: they would head back and go through the mines.

It took them long hours to leave the mountain behind and find a suitable place to camp. Aragorn took no time to rest; he immediately gave Boromir and Gimli orders on how the camp should be set up. After that, he checked the Hobbits and did his best to make sure they were okay. Once a couple of small fires would be lit, they should be fine.  
Everyone was grumpy and kept to themselves. No wonder; it had taken them a long time to get that far, only to find another roadblock. They couldn't have known about the roadblock, though, so it was quite maddening to think about all those lost hours.  
Silently, Aragorn worked and made sure that every member was alright. The Hobbits, Gimli and Gandalf were cooking and talking quietly, once he headed towards Boromir.  
"You alright?" He asked, while his eyes were already darting to the Man's hands, then up to his face, just in time to see Boromir nodding. No surprise there. He had reckoned that the warrior of Gondor was able to take care of himself – in any situation.  
"I'm fine. What's going on between you and the Elf, though?"  
For a moment, Aragorn was taken aback. The man had noticed? But then he remembered how Legolas had stood up for him during the Council in Rivendell. How warm the Elf had been towards him and now... Now it seemed there was none of that warmth left.  
"I think I have hurt him with a matter I didn't know he was part of," he answered thoughtfully.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: so, I had some difficulties writing this chapter, I hope it's still okay... Hope you bear with me, the journey isn't over yet! Thank you for following me this far, and have fun reading.**

 **Leave a review if you liked it ^^**

 **Disclaimer: You know the drill... but also: I'm not a doctor so inflicted wounds and side effects may differ from reality.**

* * *

Chapter 4: Caving in

Out of the corner of his eye he could see the two humans talking. Legolas couldn't help but wonder why. Would Aragorn be confiding in Boromir? Or was it really just a check, since Aragorn had been worrying about all of them. Legolas shook it off, and looked around again, trusting his senses would warn him if something was wrong. Everyone was cold and the mountain pass had been a huge disappointment after the Gap of Rohan. The last thing they needed was an ambush.

Quiet minutes passed, while he tried to drown out the sounds of the Companions. He did notice Aragorn came to stand next to him, but he ignored him for a while.

"There's no need to examine me, you know I'm not bothered by the cold or the snow."  
When there came no reply, Legolas turned his head slightly and took in the Man's expression.  
"I know", Aragorn's voice was soft, but a hint of weariness rang through it, nonetheless. The same weariness that was visible on his face. "But you are injured, don't forget that. How is it healing?"  
Legolas was a bit taken aback and looked away again to hide his surprise. He had expected the normal treatment: Aragorn pushing him down and examining him without listening to his words. The healer did not move, though, and just stood next to him. Had so many things changed simply by not talking to each other?  
"It's fine, Aragorn. Take some rest." The man was already a great leader, which he had shown on the road, but sometimes he forgot about himself. Legolas felt him hover for some moments, so he gave him a small nod and turned away from the Human, focussing on the watch again.

For once, the night was quiet and there was nothing to worry about. Still, Legolas was restless when Boromir took over; they would go through the mines and it was not something to look forward to as an Elf. Mines were worse than caves, and he shivered at the thought of being underground for several days. He did not sleep well that night.

The road to Moria went as smoothly as they could have hoped for. But every night he slept less and less, and his side ached and throbbed. By the time they reached the place where the doors were supposedly located, he was a shade paler than usual.  
He let Gandalf fuss at the doors and vaguely noticed Aragorn and Sam unload Bill and sending the pony away. Legolas rested; eyes slightly closed, sweaty back against cool stone, trying to regain his calm.  
The air was thick and moist at the same time. Shreds of mist swirled around carelessly, making the place feel creepier by the minute. Legolas dreaded going inside, that is if Gandalf would ever find the opening words.  
Dwarves, he thought with the tiny bit of humour he could find at this moment, would forget their own name if they had too much to drink, and no one who would call them in the morning.  
The still, dark water of the lake gave him chills, but maybe there was another reason as well... He knew quite well that he should have been healed by now; instead he felt sweaty and cold at the same time and his senses seemed to be dulled.  
It must have been lighter when they had arrived, but it seemed impossible here to measure how much time had passed. The darkness was like a promise to him; a promise of what was waiting in the mine, and by no means was he prepared to go days without fresh air or stars in the night blue sky. His thoughts got the better of him and therefore it was Aragorn, and not himself, who warned Merry and Pippin not to disturb the water. His pale blue eyes only opened when he heard a loud, grinding sound. The earth shook beneath his feet while the doors of Moria opened before his eyes. It seemed as if Gandalf and Frodo figured it out, at last, he thought numbly.

He quickly stepped into the Mine, behind Gandalf, and winced immediately at the stench. Valar, what was that?! While Gimli muttered on about hospitality, beer and meat, Legolas tried to distinguish the smell. It was old, rusty, rot and pain. Though he did not quite know how to describe it, the scent was definitely one of pain.  
Once the Wizard made some light, it became clear that this place was no longer one of the living, but one of the dead. It was a tomb now, instead of a mine, and he noticed the type of arrows that stuck out of a skeleton.

"Goblins!" Legolas said.

The simple word made everyone uneasy, as if that hadn't happened yet by seeing the frames of bodies. Swords were drawn, Gimli held his axe tighter and he pulled an arrow out his quiver. He did so, slowly; if there were Goblins near the entrance, they would have been battling already. But before he could explain this thought, everyone was already scrabbling backwards, though the movements stopped at the sound of a silent scream. A harsh 'Strider!' followed.  
Legolas followed Aragorn's gaze, both of them leaping into action when they saw tentacles coming out of the lake; one of them got a hold of Frodo. The Hobbit dangled in the air and Legolas took his time to aim before he released an arrow. Aragorn and Boromir hurried back to the waterline and started slashing at the tentacles, while he kept firing arrows to give them cover.

The Humans had to cut off several arms of the Beast and when Aragorn sliced one, Boromir caught a flailing Frodo. As they ran into the Mine, he kept shooting and hit the Beast in an eye, which gave them time to get to safety. It had clearly upset the Watcher in the Water, though, and he angrily reached for them. When he couldn't catch them, he took down the Doors of Durin, caving the Fellowship in.

Darkness surrounded them and all was quiet, except for their unsteady breaths.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Are you still with me guys? I love to hear from you. Also, I take requests if it fits the story; so leave a review with what you want to see in upcoming chapters, or send me a PM. Enjoy chapter 5!**

 **It's a bit slow, bit chapter six will have an epic fight, so stay tuned!**

 **Ps: Did you notice that I write from Aragorn's POV, then Legolas's, and then Aragorn's, etc.? Or should I add the name at the beginning of the chapters?**

* * *

Chapter 5: Road through Moria

For a moment, all was quiet. The only sound to be heard was the sound they were making: uneven breaths, echoing a little in the small room they were in. Aragorn was relieved no one was panicking. Though the way back was blocked, and they literally had no choice but to go forward, he wasn't completely sure they were safe. There must have been a reason why Gandalf had been so reluctant to take this path, and it gnawed at him.

The Wizard made light for a second time, to reveal everyone huddling together. Aragorn smiled mildly at the thought that they were all scared, but the corners of his mouth went down immediately when he saw Legolas. The natural Elven glow was duller than it should be, and even from where he was standing, he could see the beads of sweat shimmer.  
Oh no! His heart sank, yet before he could get to his friend, Gandalf spoke.

"We have now but one choice. We must face the long, dark of Moria. Be on your guard; there are older, and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world."

Like the one they had just witnessed, or were there more to come? Aragorn liked being prepared, but after that monster, he wasn't sure if he wanted an answer to his own question.

While they walked through the hallway, the man in grey continued: "Quiet now. It's a four day's journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."  
At the end of the hallway, there was a platform, from which two roads led further into the dark. It was a good thing that Gandalf was leading the way, since Aragorn had never been here before and both paths looked long. If you picked the wrong one, it would take quite a while to get back to the fork.

It was a mystery to him how the Dwarves had built it and how they remembered every road, since they already had trouble with remembering the entrance doors!

They travelled in silence, recalling the Watcher and Gandalf's words. Since it had been dark when they got to the Doors, it didn't surprise Aragorn that they only travelled for about two hours before deciding to stop for the night.

Finally, he had time to take Legolas aside. He made him sit down and gently pulled the tunic up to his side, uncovering the wound that had started bleeding again.  
"I thought you were going to tell me when it got worse, so I could help."  
"You know I never do", Legolas answered softly, but this time Aragorn didn't get pushed out of the way. The Man shook his head, mumbling almost inaudible words about the stubbornness of Elves, and their pride, while working. He crushed some dry athelas leaves, mixed them in a bowl with some water and used that to wash the wound. It should take away some of the pain, and make Legolas feel at ease; something the Greenwood Elf could use, since they were underground.

He made sure the Elf ate something, glancing up several times to check if he was still chewing, while he dressed the wound. He had to stitch it again, and after that he cleansed it once more. With his fingers he smeared some of the used athelas leaves over the wound and then covered it with clean gauze. Binding it tightly, Aragorn let out a sigh. If nothing happened these couple of days, and they would only be travelling, Legolas would be healed before they got out of Moria.  
"Legolas... you know.. about..." Aragorn started hesitantly, and looked up frowning when there came no reaction. Only Legolas's arm fell down, his hand rested on his lap with a piece of half-eaten bread in it. Worried, his eyes skimmed the elegant face...  
His features softened and he wrapped his own cloak around him. _"Ollo vae, mellon nîn,"_ _ *****_ Aragorn whispered. Yes, the Elf could use a good night's sleep.

More paths followed the next day, turning right or left whenever they had to make a choice. It was a maze of hundreds of paths, and Aragorn wondered how Gandalf remembered it all so well. While he had lived among rangers many years, and had become quite an expert on tracking things and remembering roads, even he was lost here. He had no doubt that he would have great difficulty finding the way back –supposing they could still use the Doors to get out. There was no other choice than to trust in the Wizards abilities.

He was quite content to see that Legolas looked better; the Elf stood taller and his step was more solid than it had be yesterday. What hadn't changed was that Legolas was right behind Gandalf, as a moth drawn to the light coming out of the stone on the Wizard's staff. Aragorn couldn't blame him for that, though. He himself was fairly pleased with his torch; the darkness of the Mine gave him the chills, though he was accustomed to loneliness and cold places. This was different. They had found no bodies since the entrance, but that was just a matter of time. The remaining Dwarves had to be somewhere, right?

It was on a broad ledge that Gandalf paused for a moment and explained that the riches of the Mine were not found in jewels or gold, but in Mithril. He made a tad more light, so they were able to look down. To Aragorn, although he was deeply impressed, it seemed like the Dwarves had been greedy. It was impossible to determine how deep they had mined.

For a short moment everyone was in awe, and the stifling feeling was far away from them. But the moment passed and they had to move on. More carved paths and stairs and then.. a crossing. Three openings, none of them looking to welcoming.

 ***** = 'Ollo vae, mellon nîn' is Sindarin, the Elfish language they speak in the films. It means: sleep well, my friend.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: So sorry I'm late with the update. But here's a lot of thinking, running and fighting to make up for it.**  
 **(all faults are mine, my beta was busy, but I'll edit when I get it back from her)**

* * *

Chapter 6: No rest allowed

He almost bumped into Gandalf, when he suddenly stopped. Questioningly, he looked at the Wizard, who didn't pay attention to the others at all.  
"I have no memory of this place."

The three possible roads left them stranded, while Gandalf tried to remember or puzzle out which one they had to take. For him, the sudden pause was quite welcome, although it was also a sign that he wasn't completely healed yet.  
Since it could take some time before they were off again, the Hobbits started a small fire to stay warm; Gimli lit his pipe and sat with them. Boromir and Aragorn sat with their backs toward the group, facing the road they had taken; both watching over the group.  
He leaned back, feeling the cool, hard, uneven stone pricking through his clothes. Legolas didn't mind it, though, it kept him awake.  
He noticed Frodo getting to Gandalf and although they started to converse quietly, he, of course, could hear everything. It was none of his business, and he finally allowed his thoughts to drift off.

It was clear that some things had not changed between him and Aragorn, which was actually an odd thing to experience. How Aragorn looked after him, treated him, making sure he would heal, and having each other's back, depending on each other in fights... none of that had changed. At the same time, they barely had a decent talk since... well, since they had left Imladris, where he had seen the Evenstar around Aragorn's neck.  
First he had been angry, then disappointed, then he felt betrayed and lonely, which had led to the whole 'not-speaking and keeping to himself' thing. He had never spoken to Aragorn about love, or marriage, or fair maidens, but the Man was practically Lord Elrond's son! Aragorn must have known Arwen was promised to him. Right?  
By now, Legolas wasn't sure what he felt or thought about Arwen's love for the Human. All he knew was, that he missed his friend. He missed their talks, missed the way they knew what the other needed and wanted with one simple look, and missed depending on the other without question.  
Legolas no longer knew if he was acting childish, and although he was stubborn, they had to speak about this, sooner or later. Apparently, it would be later.

He almost dozed off, when Gandalf abruptly stood. "Ah! It's that way."

The leader took everyone by surprise, knowing the way all of a sudden. Had he remembered? But no, it just seemed the safest road, due to the smell. Well, if that was all, he could have pointed that out three hours ago!

They took the staircase down, and came in into a large room. Gandalf risked a little more light from his staff, to show them where they were, exactly. Mighty pillars rose up, every twenty meters or so.  
As far as Legolas could see, these pillars were keeping the ceiling from crashing down, making the room far bigger than expected. Although he longed for the night sky, and the brilliant stars, he couldn't help but to be in awe. The great Hall of Dwarrowdelf was something he wouldn't soon forget.

While he was still looking around, a small smile on his lips, Gimli gave a sudden shout, and hurried forward. They had no choice but to follow their companion into the chamber. Legolas didn't really want to follow, with bodies lying here and there it was best to move on. They were more skeletons than bodies and the further he came, the more he saw. Inside the chamber, Gimli knelt down before a tomb, making sounds that were a mixture of sobs and angry 'no's!'.

"We must move on! We cannot linger," he quietly spoke to Aragorn. It was clear to him that they should continue. The bodies and the mess inside was enough evidence that they had to go on. There was no time for this, although, as a warrior, he understood the loss Gimli must feel.

The claustrophobic atmosphere didn't get any better when Gandalf started to read the last pages of the book that recorded the last days of the Dwarves here.  
"They have taken the bridge and the Second Hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes...drums, drums in the deep. We cannot get out. The shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming."  
The atmosphere grew only darker after Pippin's action of curiosity; his mere touch at a skeleton caused the bones -with armour and all- to fall, making a lot of noise.  
He held his breath, figuring that this was it. Soon they would be surrounded by enemies. But for two whole minutes it was silent.

 _Boom... Boom-boom... Ta-doom.._

The sounds should have been warning enough, but then he heard a distant 'Skraah'.

"Orcs!" he warned the others, and Boromir and Aragorn hurried to the doors to close them. Legolas could clearly hear the words Boromir muttered and cursed under his breath. Instead of worrying, he threw some heavy axes towards them, so they could barricade the door. If they weren't in such dire need of an escape, he would have smiled at the irony of the whole situation. Gandalf had read out loud 'We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. We cannot get out... they are coming', from the book just minutes ago, and look at how things were now.  
The four axes wouldn't hold the doors closed for long, and he drew his bow and had an arrow ready. Hopefully, it was a small hunting party; something they could manage. Then he remembered the words 'cave troll' from Boromir.

Three, four, five.. six Orcs were slain before all hell broke loose. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aragorn swiftly changing bow for sword. He himself had shot a couple of Orcs that threatened the Hobbits. For now, everything seemed to be going well, as good as a fight can go, of course.

Though their luck seemed to end as soon as the cave troll came in. The arrow he shot right at him didn't slow him down at all, it only made him a lot angrier than he probably already was.  
It took both Aragorn and Boromir, pulling at full strength at the chain attached to the band around its neck, to keep him from killing Sam, who was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.  
Before he had to turn to fight some Mordor filth, he saw Boromir flying to the other side of the room, which made all too clear that they shouldn't underestimate the troll.  
When he had the chance, he fired arrows at the huge creature again. It took several blows from Gimli's axe and Gandalf's sword and more opportunities to shoot it, to take him down. By the time they had slain it, Aragorn was short-winded and looked after Frodo, but the Hobbit seemed, remarkably, alright.

They all took a short moment to catch their breath and gather their belongings were needed. But the shouts of more Orcs and Goblins reached them and Gandalf gave sign to move on.

"To the bridge of Kazhad-dûm!"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm so sorry! I didn't forget about this, but I had massive writers block. Couldn't write a thing! Here's an extra-long chapter and some tissues.**

 **: Thank you so much! Next chapter will have some conversations, it will indeed be a 'walking day'. Glad you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 7: Bridge of Khazad-dûm

Again, he took position at the rear of the group, making sure no one was left behind. After all, for one of his long strides, the hobbits had to take almost three.  
They made it out of the chamber, but he could already hear the typical 'skrieeeeh' noises that Goblins make. The sound was deafening; it had to be made by several hundreds of them.  
No one had to encourage another to keep running; it was clear that they couldn't take them in battle. Their only hope lay in getting over the Bridge.  
Aragorn's heart skipped a beat, when Gandalf skidded to a stop. They were surrounded and they hadn't even made it halfway!

Just when he thought they were going to be slaughtered, a roar reached his ears. He turned quickly, noticing the Goblins chattering in fear, to see what it was. Far behind them, at the opposite end of the Great Hall, was an orange light. It shifted, and filled the entire opening between two pillars.  
His muscles tensed, especially when another sound came and the orange light grew darker, and suddenly the Goblins were racing to get out.  
Aragorn simply knew something bad was going to happen. His fingers moved slightly, to get a better grip on his sword, before he cast a glance at the others. Legolas looked pale, and he had a feeling it wasn't caused by the wound. Gandalf's expression, however, almost shocked him. The Wizard knew what was coming! Was this... was this the reason why he had been so reluctant to take this road? Was this the secret he'd kept, ushering them to stay as silent as possible, while travelling to reach the other end of Moria?  
"A Balrog," Legolas mumbled and he looked frightened.  
"Yes. A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!"

They quickly jumped into action, all of them a bit shaken by the way Gandalf spoke. They made it safely to the other side, a dizzying staircase waiting for them.  
Aragorn, who was the last to get there, hesitated to go on. His light eyes found Gandalf with a worried look. He was certain that the man hadn't looked so exhausted a few minutes ago. Was this... Balrog, draining the Wizard's powers?  
"Gandalf..."  
"Lead them on, Aragorn."  
Aragorn looked at him in disbelieve. No! He wouldn't abandon him.  
"The Bridge is near," Gandalf continued with a nudge of his head. They both fell quiet when the Balrog roared again, this time much louder. He stepped up, trying to get past the Wizard. As if the man had known Aragorn would attempt such a thing, he grabbed him hard by the shoulder.  
"Do as I say!"  
And with that he was pushed backwards.  
"Swords are of no more use here."

Though Aragorn didn't agree with Gandalf's decision, he had to trust him on this and the two of them joined the rest of the group.  
Legolas and Boromir took the lead now, quickly descending the many steps. The further down they got, the warmer it became and not just because of the exercise. Deep down, Aragorn could see flames, casting a warm glow on the surroundings.

A gap in the stairs made them stop. The Elf was, of course, the first to jump, followed by Gandalf. The rumbling from the Balrog gained in strength and as if his roaring was some sort of sign, some Goblins decided to show up, at the far left of the immense staircase, and started to shoot arrows at them.  
Boromir quickly grabbed Merry and Pippin, and, with them close to his sides, he jumped.  
Another sign of his strength, Aragorn thought, when all three of them reached the other side safely. Then the earth started to crumble, and the steps where Boromir had stood disappeared in the abyss!  
He turned, beckoning Sam. He tossed the Hobbit across, into the arms of Boromir and turned again to do the same with Gimli.  
"Nobody tosses a Dwarf!" He rejected, full of pride, and attempted to jump the distance himself. Gimli barely made it, getting saved by Legolas' quick reaction to grab his beard and pulling him onto the stair again.

The Balrog was coming closer, and the signs telling that he was weren't pretty: the earth shuddered, masses of stone broke loose and the orange glow behind them grew brighter.

He glanced at Frodo and then at the gap. After Gimli had jumped, again parts of the stairs had crumbled, making the gap too big to leap across. Even tossing the Hobbit would be too great a risk. When the roars of the demon grew louder, he could feel his clothes sticking to his back. Fear of the monster made him sweat, and Aragorn had to focus on his breathing to come to his senses again.  
Suddenly, the ground shook beneath his feet, and they started to shift. He held Frodo close, both leaning forward, in the hope that their weight would determine where they would shift to. Indeed they slid towards the others, and Legolas and Boromir pulled them to safety. Seconds later the entire flight of steps behind them crumbled and fell into the deep.  
There was, however, no time to catch their breath; they weren't over the Bridge yet!  
More stairs followed, until they reached a lower level, which lead to the Bridge. Behind them, flames were appearing and the worried look on Gandalf's face was enough to keep everyone running.

The Bridge of Khazad-dûm was small, they would have to cross one by one. This time, he went first, waiting at the end to guide them to –hopefully- the last flight of stairs before they got out.  
Gandalf turned, mid-bridge, and Aragorn almost cursed the man for his stubbornness. Why wouldn't he run?!

"You cannot pass!"  
The Balrog took that as a challenge, revealing his full length and spread his fiery wings and cloaked himself in flames.  
He heard Gandalf mumble something, but the Wizard's voice grew louder with almost every word:  
"[...] the Secret Fire. Wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun."  
A monstrous sword appeared in the Balrog's hand, smashing down. Gandalf protected himself with some sort of spell, which shone brightly around him, parrying the hit.

Aragorn had his hand on his sword hilt, though he knew in his heart that his was not his fight. Shock made him stay where he was, unable to look away.

"Go back to the shadow," Gandalf ordered, at which the Balrog stepped upon the Bridge. His sword was nowhere to be seen; this time he had a fiery whip with many thongs. He lashed out and Aragorn found himself drawing his sword and crying out to Gandalf.

"You shall not pass!" the Wizard cried. With great force he brought his staff down at the Bridge.  
The Balrog snorted, almost as though he thought the man in grey was funny, and stepped forward again to assault Gandalf.  
At that moment, the Bridge broke, right at the feet of the Balrog. For a moment the demon wavered, but then -while bellowing loudly- he plunged down.  
Aragorn let his breath go, he hadn't even realised he was holding it. Was it done? With his eyes fixed on Gandalf, he beckoned him to come, he saw an orange flicker out the corner of his eye.  
Just when he had thought it was over, the falling Balrog lashed his whip once more; the thongs wrapped around Gandalf, causing him to fall and dragging him towards the edge. Gandalf was able to catch the ledge and held on with his last strength.

"Fly, you fools," he said, looking Aragorn directly in the eye. Then, the Wizard let go, falling into the depths.

"No," he whispered, unable to move or to process what had happened. Vaguely, he heard someone yelling his name. Tears clouded his eyes, making everything look blurry. Only when Boromir called out again, he turned and hurried up the stairs, casting one last look at where Gandalf had stood. An archway led them outside.

The sun shone. The sky was blue and cloudless. The land was quiet though, as if it knew what had happened. Aragorn looked at the sunlit hills, gathering his strength and the will to go on.

Wiping Orcblood off his sword, he looked at the remaining members of the Fellowship. Merry and Pippin were silently crying together, Sam just sat there sobbing, Legolas looked pained and had -just as himself- trouble believing that Gandalf was gone. Frodo had wandered off, and Boromir and Gimli... well, he couldn't quite see, but he heard the sobs from the Dwarf. Aragorn knew what they all felt, for he felt so, too.

"Legolas, get them up."  
It took his friend some effort, but then he moved to Merry and Pippin.  
"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs. We must reach the woods of Lothlorien," he explained when Boromir clearly didn't agree with his order.  
"Come." His voice softened. "Boromir, Legolas, Gimli; get them up." He walked to Sam and lifted him from the stone. "On your feet, Sam."  
Aragorn didn't look the Hobbit in the eyes, knowing all too well Sam wouldn't understand his rush to move at this moment and he didn't want to see his pain.

He had to be the leader now and Aragorn softly swore that he wouldn't rest until they were safe.


End file.
